The invention relates to a portable deer stand. More particularly, the invention relates to a portable, compact collapsible structure capable of being transported into desired locations for the purpose of convenient hunting, bird-watching, photography and the like.
Elevated observational stands provide hunters, photographers and nature lovers secure seating and a wide visual range in fields and forested areas. Such devices tend to be of two types-those supported by the ground or another object, and those which are affixed to and supported from the upper trunk of a tree.
The relative ease of access to fields and forested areas by means of the increasingly popular "all terrain vehicle" (or ATV) has encouraged the development of elevated observational stands being used in conjunction with such ATV's. U.S. Pat. No. 5,042,614 to Rainey discloses an A-frame type hunting stand which is removably fixed to an ATV. An apparent shortcoming of such device is that it is transported about at its full height, thus potentially coming into unwanted contact with low branches and other potential obstructions common in thick wooded areas. While such device is capable of being disassembled or removed from the ATV for ground use, it is not capable of being collapsed into a smaller, self contained unit. Furthermore, such device can only be transported about by an ATV which is adapted to receive the A-frame base by means of base connector rods affixed to the ATV. If the A-frame device is removed from the ATV in the event that the ATV is needed for a task elsewhere, the A-frame unit is effectively immobilized, unless an identically adapted ATV is available for use. It would be impossible in this scenario to simply fasten the A-frame device to another generic ATV and transport it to the desired location.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,784,239 to Kirkman discloses a tree stand which is obviously not easily transportable, and which also requires substantial effort to set-up. Such device must be physically transported up a tree and then fastened to the tree trunk by means of flexible tie members. Accordingly, this device may be quite dangerous and fail to provide stable support for a hunter of photographer.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,886,139 to Dupont et al. discloses a power operated mobile scaffold. A substantial drawback of this device is that it is neither simple in design nor operation. Power devices are required to raise the scaffolding up or down in conjunction with complicated chain hoist mechanisms.
While these units may be suitable for the particular purpose employed, or for general use, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as disclosed hereafter.